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Raw clay for abo pottery (build along)

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Zuma:
Last fall I was visiting a good friend Scott Silsby at his property
where he had a well drilling failure.
Cavernous limestone filled with clay?
The driller pumped out tons of clay trying in vane to clear the well.
My intent here is to clean the clay of impurities by soaking it in
water and straining out the impurities. Evaporate the water until
the clay is workable. Then prep the clay and build a pot.
Maybe even fire it in an open pit. This process will take time.
Advice and questions invited.
Scott saved a lot of the clay and it dried into huge chunks laced with limestone drilling's.
It looks like this at present.

iowabow:
Rehydrate stir in 5 gal bucket wait 2 minutes then pour off clay into another bucket. The stones will fall to the bottom.

Zuma:

--- Quote from: iowabow on April 29, 2014, 04:03:55 am ---Rehydrate stir in 5 gal bucket wait 2 minutes then pour off clay into another bucket. The stones will fall to the bottom.

--- End quote ---
Thanks iowa,
I wish is was that easy. In most cases I guess it would be.
This stuff was like concrete. Due to the drilling's I suppose.
I had to use a crowbar and huge knife to break it down in the water.
A lot of the organics and light flakes I strained out.
I have been pouring off the water as it clears at the top of the buckets.
I should have nice clean clay soon. Well if it ever stops raining and evaporation kicks in.
Zuma

iowabow:
I will post a link to my process

Zuma:
Well I got out my trusty coffee cup and panned some of the tailing's.
I was not surprised to find little magnetite and quartz. Very little.
There was a little green material and two jasper chips.
The jasper was most likely from the surface where the clay hardened on.
I have three buckets with very little clear water in them.
I wish I had wider, shallower open containers to dehydrate in.
Any ideas?
Zuma

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